The Chicago Bears dealt with offseason uncertainty as trade rumors circled around some of the biggest names on the team after a new coaching staff took over. Ultimately, the only name lost was Brandon Marshall, but several players are now left to fight for new contracts. The Bears did not hand out a ton of many this offseason as a few key players enter into the final year of this contract. Both Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte have downplayed the distraction.
Forte and Bennett were no-shows at most of the offseason workouts for the Bears, but were both in attendance on the first day of training camp after not getting extensions in the offseason. Bennett has made it clear that he wants a new contract despite having two years left on his current deal. The tight end held out of OTAs, but returned for training camp telling the media that he is not even thinking about his contract status right now.
"I'm not even worried about a contract right now," Bennett said, via ESPN.com. "It's just business. I have no hard feelings against anybody. Some business deals go the way you want. Some -- I have several business deals this offseason that worked and didn't work out. For me it's just another business deal, and then that's just the way it is. Some deals get done, some don't. Still got to come to work and do my job."
Bennett is expected to play a critical part in the offense once again after ending last season with 916 yards and six touchdowns. After getting rid of Marshall, he will be a top target for quarterback Jay Cutler. The same can be said for Forte who is anchoring the ground game once again while playing out the last year of his deal. While the 29-year-old has certainly not lost a step yet in the league, he is facing uncertainty as he prepares to reach that critical 30-year-old bench mark in the NFL. The Bears do not have anyone that will push Forte for time on the field this year, but players like Ka'Deem Carey and Jacquizz Rodgers could cement themselves into the future.
"You can't have your cake and eat it too," Forte said, via the Chicago Tribune. "The NFL is production-based. You produce, you get rewarded. But then sometimes when it comes time to be rewarded, it doesn't happen. And if you complain about it you're a bad guy or something like that. I'm not worried about it because I'm at the end of my deal. It's my last year in this deal and I was compensated correctly four years ago. So at the end of this deal we'll see what happens."
The Bears have a lot riding on this season. It certainly does not help that rookie receiver Kevin White is starting out on the physically unable to perform list. That puts added pressure on Alshon Jeffery, Eddie Royal and Marquess Wilson to step up for Cutler.
